AYSCHEN

A vast bowl-shaped despression in the ground a few days walk northeast of Yallasch marks the remains of a place called Ayschen.  Littered with broken columns and the foot-high remains of walls, the grassy area has become the gathering place for the annual Yallaschian games.

Each year, the city-state of Yallasch invites champions from the surrounding Border Kingdoms to the ruins, where they compete against one another in games of strength, stamina and skill.
The events last an entire ten-day and draw crowds from across the lands, and the wealthy even from further south.

The gladiatorial contest marking the end of the festival is a particular favorite, and the most crowded day of the events, but there are other events: races by foot and chariot, archery contests, wrestling and boxing competitions and displays of swordmanship and marksmanship and other games and contests.

Beneath the revelry, however, the games are extremely political, with huge bets riding on them and subtle intrigues running undercurrent throughout all the competitions.

"I'm sure the only reason they have these games is a junvenile attempt to show everyone else how strong and how much better they supposedly are."